Quick acting valve



Nov. 14, 1961 w. H. LANNERT 3,008,492

' QUICK ACTING VALVE Filed May 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 14, 1961 w. H. LANNERT 3,008,492

' QUICK ACTING VALVE Filed May 24, 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ry' 60 af. @5/@9'3 25522 3021 59 e @o 27 59 LO 4, QZ b 195932 l" 56 g5 E= LQ 99 25 m ze 17 w55 48 Eg 16 20 4g f oli 13 //w eIl|////\ \i 301@ 15 12 ff E1' 1%! 11 il @O 28 i [5| ii 1E *1.1 m 3 66 1 ,l @1 i l!! l 4 i Ill /u/ f5 y 2a I Lg -\\\I il.' 32 m V 'zvwmf United States Patent O 3,008,492 QUICK ACTING VALVE William H. Lannert, Skokie, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 24, 1957, Ser. No. 661,394 6 Claims. (Cl. 137-625.27)

This invention relates to a quick acting valve for rapidly llexing diffuser tubes in an air diluser installation of the type used to aerate sewage contained in a tank, to dislodge solids accumulated on the surface of the diluser tubes without removing the diuser tubes from the sewag in which they are immersed.

The valve comprising the present invention is capable of use in any air diiuser installation in which the diffuser tubes have a ilexible porous wall, regardless of whether the diiuser unit s of the xed or swing type. For the sake of clarity the valve will be described in connection with a swing diffuser of the type shown in my prior Patent No. 2,328,655, issued September 7, 1943.. The diffuser tubes are preferably made, at least in part, of ilexible porous fabric, such as Saran cloth, but it is possible to use any diffuser tubes which are provided with a collapsible, foraminated fabric through the interstices of which air or gas passes in ne bubbles into ,the liquid in which the diffuser tubes are immersed. The proper diffusion of air into the sewage tank depends upon the porosity of the diffuser tubes, and, in time, the pores of the diffuser tubes become clogged with solid matter which normally accumulates on the outer wall surface of the diffuser tubes.

It has been found that the solid matter accumulated on the surfaces of the diffuser tubes may be dislodged by the rapid exing of the porous fabric of the diffuser tubes. The efciency of this method of cleaning diiuser tubes while they are immersed in sewage depends largely upon the speed with which they may be deflated and reinflated. The deflation and reination of the tubes is controlled by the operation of the valve.

In accordance with the present invention, the valve is adapted to be moved quickly between open and closed positions. In the open position of the valve, the opening to the atmosphere is closed, and air under pressure ilows from an air main through the valve housing, and then to the pipes which carry it to the ditiuser tubes. In the closed position of the valve, the air from the air main cannot pass through the valve housing, and the opening to the atmosphere is open. The pressure of the sewage forces the air in the diffuser tubes back through the pipes and through the valve housing into the atmosphere. The eiiciency of the valve in llexing the dilluser tubes depends upon its speed of reversal and the positiveness of its action in each direction.

The valve constructed in accordance with the present invention permits the diluser tubes to be completely deated and completely reinllated between successive strokes with ygreat rapidity, and the alternate deflation and reination may be repeated until all of the solid matter accumulated on the surface of the diiuser tubes is dislodged theretrom, thereby obviating the necessity of removing the diffuser tubes from the sewage tank for cleaning.

In the drawings a valve embodying the invention vis positioned in a stationary header which is connected to an air main. The air flow controlled by the valve passes through an elbow and a pair of pipes to a plurality of diffuser tubes mounted on the lower end of the lowermost pipe.

The valve stem passes through an aperture in a ange extending outwardly from the valve housing. The aperture has suicient clearance to permit the stem to slide easily in either direction and has a nut threaded on each side of the flange. One nut may be tightened against one surface of the ange to prevent movement of the valve stem in one direction, and the other nut may be tightened against the opposite surface of the Kiange to prevent movement of the valve stem in the opposite direction. Thus the valve may be locked in open position to permit normal flow of air from the air main to the diluser tubes, or may be locked in closed position to permit repair or replacement of any portion of the diffuser system. The nuts may be spaced apart a predetermined distance on the stem to permit a limited movement of the stem in either direction. The nuts are positioned to cause the valve to be seated in its closed position at one end of said movement, and in its open position at the other end of said movement. This limited movement is along a straight line, and the valve may be moved very quickly between its open and closed positions.

The structure by means of which the above and other advantages are attained will be described in detail in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary sectional view of a sewage tank with a swing diffuser installation shown in elevation in its operative position within the tank;

FIG.' 2 is a cross sectional View, taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the valve locked in open position, showing a portion of the elbow and upper pipe in elevation;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with the nuts on the valve stem arranged to permit movement of the valve in either direction; the valve being shown in open position, and the closed position of the valve being indicated in dotted lines;

FIG. 5 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the valve locked in closed position; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional View of a modified embodiment of the invention in which the valve assembly comprises two valves disposed angularly to each other.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a sewage tank having a vertical wall 3 oifset angularly adjacent its upper edge, as indicated at 4, to provide space for an air main 5 adapted to serve tanks on opposite sides of wall 3. The angularly ofr'set section 4 of the wall terminates in a vertical section 6 in which a tubular L-shaped joint 7 is embedded. A tubular conduit 8 communicating with air main S through a neck 9 has one end connected with the open end of the horizontal portion of the L- shaped joint 7. The vertical portion of joint 7 terminates in an open endfiush with the top surface of wall section 6 and has a horizontal ilange 10 secured to an annular ange 11 at the lower open end of a stationary header 12.

The stationary header 12 extends above the upper edge yof wall section V6 and serves yas a housing for a valve 13 adapted to control the flow of air from the main 5. 'Ihe lower portion of valve housing extending upwardly above the inner edge of llange 11 is cylindrical, as indicated at 14, and is provided with an annular shoulder 15 extending inwardly .from the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the housing. An annular ring valve seat 16 is positioned on Athe upper edge of the annular shoulder 15 to engage the lower surface of valve 13, as hereinafter described, when the valve is in closed position.

The portion of valve housing 12 above the ring valve seat 16 is substantially a continuation of the lower portion except that one portion of the cylindrical wall is cut out to form a part of a circular vertical opening 17. The cylindrical wall 14 terminates in a horizontal wall 18 having an annular opening 19 concentric with the lower open end of the valve housing. The portion of cylindrical wall 14 contiguous to the opening 17 is provided with a liange 20. This liange extends around the lower portion of the circular opening 17 and its ends terminate in the horizontal plane of wall 18. The portion of the circular opening 17 above the plane of wall 18 is defined by a wall 21 shaped'like a sector of the frustum of a cone. The wall 21 is provided with an integral ilange 22 having its outer edge coplanar with the outer edge of flange 20. The ends of flanges 20 and 22 abut each other to form a complete circle surrounding the opening 17.

The wall 21 has a radial strip 23 depending vertically therefrom in spaced relationship to the vertical plane of the ilange 22. An integral cylindrical boss 24 extends horizontaly from the lower end portion of strip 23 and its outer end is flush with the outer edges of flanges 20 and 22. The boss 24 is provided with a threaded horizontal bore 25 adapted to receive a threaded end 26 of a stud 27. The bore 25 is concentric with the circular opening 17.

An elbow 28 has `a vertically disposed circular opening 29 of the same size as opening 17 and provided with a yflange 30 extending completely around the opening. The outer edge of ilange 30 is parallel to flanges 20 and 22. An annular sealing ring 30 is interposed between the meeting faces of the valve housing 12 and the elbow 28 adjacent the vertically disposed circular openings 17 and 29. The seal prevents leakage of air through the joint So that the air from the air main ows through the valve housing 12, when valve 13 is open, and into the elbow 28. An upper pipe 31 secured to the other open end of elbow 28 is pivotally connected to a lower pipe 32 by -a knee joint 33, and a header 34 connected to the opposite end of pipe 32 directs the air into a plurality of diifuser tubes 35 connected to the header. A bumper rod 36 is mounted on the underside of the header '34 to protect the diffuser tubes from bumping into the wall 3. A The elbow 28 is provided with a horizontal boss 37 disposed centrally of the opening 29 and having its outer end flush with the outer edge of flange 30. The boss 37 is provided with a bore 38 aligned with bore 25. A pair of bearing sleeves 39 mounted in the bore 38 facilitate pivotal movement of the elbow 28 about the stud 27. The outer end of the bore 38 is counterbored as indicated at 40, to form a recess in which a compression spring 41 is seated. The outer end of stud 27 is threaded, as indicated at 42. A washer 43 positioned on the stud 27 is held against the spring 41 by means of a nut 44 threaded on the end of stud 27. The nut 44 is tightened to compress the spring as much as possible, and is then slacked oit about an eighth of a turn to cause the spring to hold the elbow against the sealing ring rrnly enough to prevent leakage of air `and yet have sufficient resilience to permit the elbow to be moved pivotally relative to the valve housing. After the nut 44 is positioned, a second nut 45 is threaded on the stud 27 to lock the nut 44 in the desired position.

A ilange 46 extendsv outwardly from the lower end of wall 21 and is provided with a circular opening 47 concentric with the opening 19 in horizontal wall 18. The v-alve 13 comprises a valve disk 48 dished upwardly around its outer edge, as indicated at 49, to form tight seal with the valve ring seat 16 when the valve is in its closed position. A sealing ring 50 is secured to the lower surface of asecond valve disk 51 positioned concentrically above the valve disk 48. An annular sealing ring 52 0n top of the disk 51 is adapted to engage the underside of a collar 53 when the valve is in its open or uppermost position to form an airtight seal around the opening 19 in which the collar 53 is fitted.

A valve stern 54 threaded into an aperture in disk 48, as indicated at 55, projects upwardly through the sealing ring 50 and openings 19 and 47. The stem 54 is threaded throughout its length, and its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of opening 47 to permit it to slide therethrough freely. A spring 56 encircling the valve stem oats on top of the disk 51. The parallel relationship between the flange 46 and the -two annular valve seats 16 and 52, and the concentric relationship of the openings 19, 47 and the opening circumscribed bythe annular shoulder 15 facilitate locking the valve in either open or closed position or in position in which the valve may be moved rapidly between said open and closed positions. A nut 58 is threaded on stem 54 between llange 46 and the spring 56. Another nut 59 is threaded on -stem 54 labove the ange 46 and is locked against separation by a lock washer 60 secured to .the top end portion of the valve stern 54. v

The operation of the valve will now be described. In FIG. 3 the valve is shown in its normal operating position. 'Ihe valve is locked in its open position so that air from main 5 can flow through the housing 12 and into elbow 28. Its Yilow path from the elbow has been previously described. The sealing rings 50 and 52 cooperate to' prevent any air from flowing through the opening 19. The ring 50 prevents leakage of air around the edges of the aperture in the center of the val've disk 51 through which the stern 54 extends, and the ring 52 prevents any leakage between the outer edge of the disk 51 Iand the bottom of the collar 53.

The nut 59 may be tightened against the top of the flange 46 to lock the valve in -any open position. The ow of air through the valve housing 12 to the elbow 28 is continuous when the valve is locked in any open position, but the amount of the air owing through the valve may be reduced or increased by changing the position in which the valve is locked. Since the sealing ring 50` is secured to the disk 5-1 the stem 54 may be moved downwardly to position to the valve disk 48 closer to the valve seat 16 without breaking the air seal around the opening 19.

When the diffuser tubes 35 are to be flexed, the nuts 58 and 59 are rotated to the solid line positions shown in FIG. 4. The valve stem 54 is moved downwardly by pressure against its upper end. This pressure may be applied by means of a handle (not shown) or by any other suitable means. The Valve disk 48 is moved downwardly to seat-on the ring 1'6 to stopt the flow of air from the main 5. lust before the disk 48 is seated on the ring 16 the nut 58, whichis smaller than the aperture 19, strikes the spring 56 to kick the valve disk 51 iaway from the bottom of the collar 53 to break the seal around the opening 19. The pressure of the sewage is greater than atmospheric pressure and collapses the dituser tubes quickly, forcing the air from the diffu-ser tubes and pipes 31 and 32 through the opening 19 into the atmosphere.

As soon as the diiuser tubes 35 are collapsed, the valve stem 54 is pulled up to seat the disk 51 and ring 52 against the bottom of collar 5B, thereby causing the air from the main 5 to flow into the diffuser tubes to reinilate them. After the diffuser tubes have been deflated and reinflated a few times the solid matter is dislodged from the tubes-and the valve is again locked in the open position shown in FIG. 3.

tIf the diffuser tubes have to be lifted'from the sewage for repair or replacement, the nut 58 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 5 to lock the valve inclosed position to prevent escape off air from the main 5 while the necessary repairs or replacements are being made.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the valve housing 61 is similar to the housing 12 and the same reference numerals will indicate identical structure. The detailed description of such identical structure will not be repeated. The ow of through the system is essentially the same in both embodiments.

The horizontal wall 62 of the housing 61 is provided with an opening 63 through which the valve stem 64 eX- tends. A sealing ring 65 seated within the opening 63 ts snugly around the valve stem 64 to provide an airtight seal. The valve housing l61 is provided on one side with a vent opening 66 adapted to be covered or uncovered by a valve disk 67 pivotally mounted adjacent the opening 66, as indicated at 68.

The valve disk 67 is provided with a tail piece 69 adapted to be engaged by `a collar 70 or 71, depending on the direction of movement of the valve stem 64, to move the valve disk 67 so as to uncover or to cover the vent opening 66. The collars 70 and 71 are keyed to the valve stem 64 in spaced relationship. The valve 48 .is mounted on the lower end of the valve stem 64, and the downward movement of the valve stemwhich seats the valve disk 48 in closed position causes the coll-ar 70 to engage the' upper surface of the tail piece 69 to move the valve disk 67 away from the vent opening 66 just before the valve disk 48 is moved into sealing engagement with valve seat =16.

When the valve stem 64 is pulled up to lift the valve disk 48 ol its seat, the collar 71 engages the underside of the tail piece 69 and moves the valve disk 67' into Sealing engagement with the vent opening 66. The valve disk 67 and its tail piece 69 are so dimensioned that the free end of the tail piece is always positioned between the collars 70 and 71. 'Ihe collar 70 abuts the underside of the horizontal wall 62 to limit the upward movement of the drive stem 64 when the valve disk 67 is in closed position against the vent opening 66. 'I'he sealing engagement of the valve disk 48 with the ring valve seat 16 limits the downward movement of the valve stem 64 and prevents the colla-r 70 from moving downwardly past the end of the tail piece 69.

While I have described two preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction described.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a valve housing having a first opening adapted to be connected to a main, a second opening adapted to be connected to ya pipe, and a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, a valve seat adjacent said first opening, an annular valve seat adjacent said third opening, said annular valve seat being spaced from y:and parallel to said first valve seat, la valve disk positioned between said valve seats, a Valve stem secured to said valve disk and projecting through the opening of said annular valve seat, said valve disk being movable between said seats to close or open the opening adjacent thereto, guide means engageable with said stemto guide the movement of said valve disk, said guide means comprising the sole means for restricting the lateral movement of said valve disk, and stop means adjustably mounted on said stem to engage opposite sides of said guide means and thereby limit the movement of `said valve disk in each direction.

2. A valve comprising a valve housing having a first opening `adapted to be connected to a main, la second opening adapted to be connected to a pipe, a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, two parallel spaced annular valve seats adj-acent two of said openings and a flange extending parallel to the planes of said valve seats, said ilange having 'an aperture, a pair of valve disks operable to move between said seats to close or open the openings Iadjacent thereto, a valve stem having one end secured to one of said valve disks, said valve stem projecting through said other valve disk, one of said annular valve seats and the laperture of said iiange, said iiange comprising the sole-means for restricting the lateral movement of said valve stem, and adjustable stop means on said stem on opposite sides of said flange engageable with said ange to limit the movement of said valve disks in each direction. g

3. A valve comprising a valve housing having a lirst 6 opening adapted to be connected to a main, a second opening adapted to be connected to a pipe, a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, two parallel spaced 'annular valve seats land a. flange extending parallel to the planes of said valve seats, said iiange and said valve seats having concentric openings, a pair of valve disks positioned between said seats, said valve disks being each engageable with one of said valve seats to direct air in different paths through said housing, a valve stem secured to one of said valve disks, said stem projecting through openings in said other valve disk, in one of said valve seats, and in said flange, a coiled spring encircling said stem between said second mentioned valve disk and said ilange, a nut engaging said stem on one side of said flange, said nut being engageable with said coiled spring tcompress it and thereby force said second mentioned valve Y disk out of sealing engagement with its seat, and a second nut engaging said stem on the opposite side of said flange, said nuts being adjustable to engage opposite sides of said flange in .any position of said rst mentioned valve and thereby locksaid irst mentioned valve disk in predetermined position.

4. A valve comprising a valve housing having a irst opening adapted to be connected to a main, a second opening adapted to be connected to a pipe, a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, two parallel spaced annular valve seats and a ange extendingparallel to the planes of said valve seats, said ange and said valve seats having concentric openings, a pair of valve disks positioned between said seats, said valve disks being movable between said valve seats, said valve disks being each engageable with one of said valve seats to close or open the opening adjacent thereto and thereby direct air in dilerent paths through said housing, a threaded valve stem secured to one of said valve disks, said stem projecting through openings in said other valve disk, one of said valve seats, and in said flange, a nut threaded on said stem between said one valve seat and said flange, said nut being movable into position relative to said flange to limit movement of said first mentioned valve disk in one direction, and a second nut threaded on said stern on the opposite side of said flange, said second nut being movable into position relative to said iange to limit movement of said first mentioned valve disk toward said other valve seat.

5. A valve comprising a valve housing having a first opening adapted to be connected to a main, a second opening adapted to be connected to a pipe, a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, two parallel spaced annular valve seats and a ange extending parallel to the planes of said valve seats, said ange and said valve seats having concentric openings, a pair of valve disks positioned between said seats, said valve disk being movable between said valve seats, said valve disks being each engageable with one of said valve seats to close or open the opening adjacent thereto and thereby direct air in different paths through said housing, a stem secured to one of said valve disks, said stem projecting through openings in said other valve disk, in said ange, and in one of said valve seat, and means engageable with said stem, said means comprising two members adapted to beheld in engagement with said flange to lock said iirst mentioned valve disk against movement in any predetermined position, and movable out of engagement with said ange to permit the stem and one of said members to cooperate to effect movement of said irst mentioned valve disk in either direction.

6. A valve comprising a housing having a lirst opening adapted to be connected to a main, ya second opening adapted to be connected to a pipe, and a third opening communicating with the atmosphere, a valve seat in said housing, a flange on said housing extending parallel to the plane of said valve seat, said flange having an aperture aligned with said valve seat, a valve disk movable into and out of sealing engagement with said valve seat to close or open said irst opening, a threaded valve stem secured .to said valve disk iand extending through said aperture,

said valve stem being slidable within said aperture, adjustable stop means threaded on said stem on opposite sides of said flange and movable `on Said stem so as to engage said ange in any predetermined position of said valve disk to limit the movement of slaid valve disk, a seeond valve seat in said housing, and Ia second valve-disk adapted to be seated on said second valve seat to close said third opening, the stop means on said valve stem on the side of said flange closest to said second valve seat being openable to move said second valve disk outof sealing engagement with said second valve seat at any predetermined point of the movementof said rst mentioned valve disk toward its sealing engagement with said rst mentioned valve seat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Larsen June 5, 1928 Fusoh Jan. 26, 1932 McKee Nov. 1, 1932 MfacGill Dec. 4, 1934 Beckett etal Feb. 26, 1952 Goodman etal. Jan. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 8, y1927 Great Britain May 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTV OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CRBECTION Patent No@ 3OO8492 November 141,I 1961 William He Lannert It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 26H for "30" read m 30] column 4L, line 369. strike out "tomy Second Occurrence; line 641.V for "inclosedw read in closed --5 column line 87 after "to" insert close or open the Opening adjacent thereto and thereby m3 line 59gy for "seat" read seats fm@ Signed and sealed this 17th day of April 1962.,

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G., JOHNSON l DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

